Since being elected in April 2025, Prime Minister Mark Carney has been absent from 74 per cent of all question periods in the House of Commons.
This attendance record has drawn criticism from opposition parties, pundits and some experts, who believe Carney is showing disregard for Canada’s parliamentary system.
“It’s disturbing to see how little regard Prime Minister Carney has for showing up and facing the questions from opposition,” said Duff Conacher, co-founder of the government accountability watchdog Democracy Watch.
Adopted from the British parliamentary system, question period is a key way government is held to account. It brings the legislative and executive branches of government together for 45 minutes every day that the House of Commons sits.
Question period is actually a key difference between Canada’s governance system and the United States’, says Pierre Martel, a professor of political studies at the University of Ottawa.
In the United States, the president is elected directly through the Electoral College.
“The president has a mandate of four years and can claim that he has the support of the electorate to govern within the parameters of the Constitution,” Martel said.
“Congress … cannot call the president to come in front of the Committee of Congress or explain directly to Congress his stance on different policy issues,” he added. “Congress can also not intervene in the governance of the country through the executive branch.”
In Canada, by contrast, there is “an interdependence” between the executive and legislative branches, says Martel. “Question period is a time where the executive is accountable to the House of Commons.”
Since the April 2025 election, the House of Commons has sat for 137 days. Of those days, Carney attended just 36 question periods.
The Conservatives have said Carney missed 64 of these question periods while Carney was present in Ottawa.
Conacher says these absences while Carney was in Ottawa are the most problematic.
He also says Carney’s sporadic attendance reflects a broader indifference within the Liberal Party toward the parliamentary system. He believes this attitude could hurt the party in future elections.
“I don’t think [question period] is the biggest issue but … the more overall backlash will be on how the Liberals are essentially abusing majority power and ramming things through in Parliament,” he said.
Carney’s government has been criticized for fast-tracking bills through the House of Commons, leaving little room for review and consultations with stakeholders, Conacher notes.
“Swing voters pay attention to how things are done, not just whether things are done,” he said.
Frequent Flyer
In an emailed statement to Canadian Affairs, Sofia Ouslis, the Prime Minister’s Office press secretary, defended Carney’s record, noting his work on major projects and trade relationships.
“Prime Minister Carney has participated in question period on more than a weekly basis, supported by a strong team of ministers who participate every day,” her statement said.
“He has taken a collaborative approach, including meeting with the leaders of all parties to discuss shared legislative priorities.”
In Martel’s view, Carney’s attendance record is not overly concerning because Carney has been clear that international diplomacy and trade deals are priorities.
“The fact that he’s not present daily here in Canada to attend a question period, to me, is not a significant issue,” said Martel, who previously had a lengthy career with the federal government, including a stint as executive director of the Public Service Integrity Office.
Martel points to Carney’s speech at the World Economic Forum in February, which earned him significant international attention and praise.
“If he had done the same speech in Canada in front of the House of Commons, I don’t think it would have had the international impact.”
‘Not the ideal forum’
Political parties have increasingly used short clips from question period to generate attention on social media.
For Martel, this trend has turned question period “into a theatrical, partisan demonstration of the contrast between different parties.”
This is unfortunate, he says, as social media “is not the ideal forum to debate a policy option in a very rational way.”
But Conacher says that by not attending question period, Carney is dodging accountability not only from the opposition parties, but also the media.
“Those questions and answers can often provide the media with material for stories if the prime minister’s answer is a non-answer or a bad answer,” he said.
“He is avoiding that type of media coverage by failing to show up.”
Rather than spending time allowing the opposition to attack him he is spending time making trade deals and building Canada’s reputation abroad.
He’s done nothing, but blame Canadians for overspending!!!!!!
Sally, and he would be right that Canadians are spending like drunken sailors , and that bis why Canadians Debt load is high. No one needs a $130k truck or to pay nearly a million for a shack . Those that do spend like that are digging themselves a hole. Carney is busy getting it done. Too bad People are focusing on the wrong area.s Should be focusing non the negative direction the Conservatives want to go.
He’s been busy promoting Canada while Poilievre spends his time trashing the country. Carney has been busy making trade deals. Poilievre has been busy whining. and lying. Carney is popular. Poilievre is not. Even in Alberta where he ran in a by-election in the saddest Conservative seat in the country. He was booed mercilessly when he appeared in the Calgary Stampede parade this week. When that happens you know the Liberals are safe as long as Poilievre is Tory leader.
Is there anything you liked about Carney?
Every time I’ve watched question period it was more like a game of verbal Red Rover and I could see nothing productive coming of it because the so called “questions” were just thinly veiled insults. I think Carneys time is much better spent doing what he is doing. I wish politicians would cut the theatrics and stop the adversarial stance – for sure ask hard questions and challenge things that don’t seem right but stop the performance. Collaboration with healthy, respectful discussion works better. The young are watching, let’s teach them how to communicate with respect and curiosity.
I agree with Joanne Archer. There was a time – not that long ago – when the HOC worked together to draft legislation and bills. The younger generations now see only childish behaviour coming from MPs and that is unacceptable. As is taking statements out of context to try to gain political points. Why have our Government Representatives sunk to the level of schoolyard bullies. It is NOT a good look. I also agree that as long as the PM has a representative set to answer questions while he gets the trades we need done, that is getting Canada ahead.